Potato-planter.



1. P. DAVENPORT. POVTATO PLMTER.`

\APPLIVCATI0-N/FILED MAR. 18. 1915.

Patented June 19, 1917".

` SHEETS-SHEET 2.

1. P. DAvEmoRT.y

PO'TATO PLANTER. 4 `APPL|cA`T|oN min ma. 1s. 1915.

Patented Jini@ 19 1917. 4 sHIcTst-snszr a.

` J, P. DAVENPORT.

POTATO PLANTER.

APPLlcAloN min ma. 18. 1,915.

Patented 111110,19., 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET L PORT UNITED sTATa-s PATENT OFFICE. ,t

Josnrrr r.. DAVENPORT, or WHEATONQILLINOISQ PoTATo-PLANTER.

Specification of Letters Tatent.

Patented June 19, 1917.

Application med much 1s, 1915. serial No. 15,191.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that LJosnrH P, DAVEN- resident'of ,Wheatom in'vthe county of Du page and State of Illinois,V haveinvented certain new andnuscful Improvements in A. `PotatoPlanters,ofwhich the following is?.`

a full,- clear, and exact specification.

This invention relates to improvements in potato planters inwhichheretofore two oppositelyarranged hoppers are revolved 'about acommon axis for alternately registering them with a single pair ofintersecting cutting blades for each hopper for severlng a potato witheyes into quarters falling by gravity from the blades into. individualchutes common to bothV hoppers and to 'a position of rest on arotatingwalve vpro'- vided with a single slot through which ithe severalquarters successively pass, and thence conducted intoa furrow formed bythe machine, the whole potatoes beingforcedfrom the hoppers agalnst andpast the cutters by'means ofra single reciprocating plunger.

With a potato p anter constructed as above described, all of theJquarters of each'p'otato must be discharged from the valve before any ofthe quarters of the next potato have fallenfromthe cutters toa-'position of rest thereon, and at best there can -never 4be at rest onvthe valve more than one quarter of a potato, and as may be only duringthe time occupied by the 4fallin 'of the quarters' of thesucceedingpotato ,rom the cutters through th'e chute to the valve.

In practice it, is found that the potato uarters are not infrequentlysuspended by ,t eir .skins from its cutter blades, and that 4 althou lithis isbut'momentary, the rotation o the disk is necessarily sorapid-that '-its slot will pass out of register with thev hung quarterwhile itv descending through its chute, andas a result of which thequarter must remainjat restl on the valveuntil itis again in registerwithithel sldt, while inthe meantime Vthe corresponding cut quarterofthe next potato .has fallen .to a position of rest thereon, with theresult; that "soy not {onlyare the `two quarters planted to-Vgether,'but that there' is a double space'between them and theprecedingplanted quar- 1 .ter of the first potato, and' as a result of 'l whichthe operation of themachine is not l revolving the hoppers toalternately register only'uncertaim objectionable.,

,Moreoven the .mechamsm necessary for aV citizen of the United States,andV both of them with a single pair of cutting blades, and for at thesame time actuating the valve, isnecessarily more or less com )lex andaccordingl objectionable because o' the diiculty of a justment, itsliability to get out of order, lack of durability', and becausepreceding discharge 'of other out potato 4 quarters therefrom.

More specifically stated the prime object of my invention is a potatoplanting machine, having a slotted rotatinfff valve provided withseparate surfaces of? support individual to the cut quarters of twopotatoes,

vand with means. whereby a plurality, 4and preferably at least three cutquarters of one of, two potatoes are always atrest thereon,

during the successive discharge of other cut quarterstherefr'om, andwhereby there is a substantial interval of time between the rest of apotato quarter thereon, and itsl discharge therefrom, with the resultthat-'whenfapotato is momentariI hungby the skin from -its cutter, itmay have time vto fall by gravity to the valve' at the instant, 4orbeforethe valve slot is` in register therewith. f v Affurther, andimportant object of my in- =v`ention isv to provide a potato planterwith means'whereby-it is possible andractic'al to accurately time themovement o the rotating'valve with the reciprocating plunger thereof,and thereafter maintain them so timed as to insure the uniform spacingapart of the planted potatoes dischargedl therefrom.`

Another object of my invention isi-teo substantially and materiallyreduce the `cost an'd'number of' parts of'a potato planter, the

complexity of its arts, the cost ofits con struction .as a who e, and atthesametime to v -increaseits durability andcertainty of operation underall conditions to be met with;

in the planting ofpotatoes;V

1th .these ends view, ".my' invcantonA f 'fis finds embodiment incertain features of novelty in the construction, combination andarrangement of lparts b v 'which the said objects and certain otherother objects are attained, all as hereinafter fully described withreference to the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointedout in the claims.

In said drawings:

.Figure l illustrates in side elevation,

" artly in section taken on the line l-1 of 4ig. 2 a potato planter inwhich my invention finds embodiment.

'Figl 2 is a 'top plan view of the same. i Fig. 3'is a verticaltransverse section of thel same, taken onthe line of Fig. tis anenlarged detail section on the lline 1 of Fig. 3. i

' 113-10 of Fig. 3.

f the same drawing.

' Similar characters of rete/rence indicate parts in the several figuresof the Themainframe of the potato planter Consists ofside bars 11-11'and en d bars 12--l2,

I' and 'inner longitudinal bars li'l spaced from each other bars 1.1.

The side'bars 11-11 are provided with suitable bearings for the adjacentends .of

and from the adjacent sidean axle-1l, to the oppositely projectingendsof which.are'secured ground wheels l5 and 16, the frame andthe'various devices sup ported by it being snbstantiallybalanced on theaxle, on'which. near' the wheel ljis a .Clutch consisting of slidinginel'nber 17,- operated by a hand lever 1S. anda rotating member v19fixed ,to thehub 2O of the main or-di'iving sprocket w'heelfjZl.

Rising from and suppdrted b v the longibars 13-'13 are posts` 22,'ofwhich there are four, at equal distances apart at their b ase-7 with theopposing lposts at yopposit'e .sides of the machine convergingtowa'rdeacli'other, isrshown'in F 1 and which at their upper ends provide asupport-fora plate 23 provided with two openings 24,' 25 dianietricalhvopposite each other.

Between t-hewalls of the 'opening 24 are confined -the open'. endsof'chutes 26V, 2T, 28 and 29,V andV likewise between the walls o f theopening 215, chates 30.` 31, 3:2 and V355 g the ends of each of whichseveral chutes a re.tri-' y angular in cross-section, but slightlycurved at their outer side to closely tit the walls of fthe.. openings:2l and. 25 respectivelyin the 'plate- "'ISecured tothe underside of theplate "23 tirs a pau' of rings 3l and 35, which as shown .in Fig. 5 areconnected together as indicated a't- 3 6, and'for thispur-pose'preferably Vcast i/ny one piece, to forni cutter holders ineach ot which is respectively secured intcrset-ting cutting blades23T-3T and 38-38 for severing potatoes with eyes into quarters, theopenings between which-blades register with 'the opposing chutes in theplate directlybeneath the cutting blade so that each cut potato quarterfalls-'bv gravit)v from between the blades into an individual.

chute therefor.

Suspemled above the cnttingblades are two hoppcrs 39 and 40, one foreach pair'of intersecting blades, each of which hoppers consists of'a.number of-converging resilient tongues 4l. the upper ends of which arebent to rest upon a ring 42, supported from the plate b v posts '13between which ring 42 anda ring. l-.t the ends of the 4tongues ll areclamped and held by means of nut bol-ts l5.

As a n'ieans for co.nv-enie.ntl supplying the hoppersl with wholepotatoes two bins lb and l? are supported b vmeans of angle iron lSlS,at opposite sides ofthe machine withinconvenient reach of-the hoppers,and from which whole potatoes are alternatelT supplied 'to the hoppersThe spring tongues ll of the hopper are stift' enough to support the,weight of a potato, cut suiiicientli-r `vielding to permit thepotatoes-to be pushed through the hopper against and'past the cuttingblades b v means of pluugers l?) and 50. ,respectivelyfor each hopper,each of which is secured tothe end of a bar l, adjustable in a block 52by means of a' set-screw 53 for centering the plungers with theirhoppers and on-a line through the intersection of the cutters` the npperends of a shaft 5i. which shafts, see Fig. l, pass through vand havetheir bearing inthe plate 23, and are pivoted -at their lower ends:1t-'55 respectiveljv to'rockerarms 5G' andi', the forward ends of whichrocket- 'arms are in turn pivoted touprightlinks 68 driven vby thesprocket chainGSa from.Y

the sprocket 21."

ioo

"s outs is a disk valve 7 9 provided with a y1,230,4ees

-lThe crank armsI 63 and 64 are diametri- `cally opposite each other onthe shaft 65,

y,andfas a` result of which when .one of the 4plungers is at the limitof itsup stroke, the` otli'er Vplunger will be at the liinit of .its.ldown stroke, so that when one plunger is *pushing -a potato out of thehopper against and `'plfilst the cutters, `the other .plunger iselevated suticiently above its hopper for the introduction therein of awhole potato with eyes therein.

Inthis connection it is now kobserved that owin'g to the' pivotalsupport of the rocker arms 56 and 57 by their respective pivoted links`58, 59 and 62, the shafts 54 and their respective plungers 49 and 50are reciprocated in a vertical line notwithstanding the vibratingmovement of the rocker arms.

"f'fAllof the several chutes 26 to 33 inclusive are confined within andsupported by a ring" 69,'wh'ich is inthe form4 of a spider "wheehjfyseeFig. 7, and thereby providing a "notato quarters passing therethroughinto y singly-discharge spout 76 converging tovard the lower end, andsuspended by any suitable means from the ring 69, `the quar- `teredpotatoes from the spout in turn discliarg-gingl into a suspended funnel77, from which nnel the potatoes fall by gravity into a furrow made bythe machine, as hereinafter described.

Between the upper end ofthe spout 76, however, and the lower ends of theseveral single slot 80, whichon the rotation of the valve successivelyregisters, see Fig. '7, with j the open ends of the several spouts 261:0

`33 inclusive. *Cast with, or otherwise rigidly secured to the undersideof the disk valve 79 is a bevel gear wheeli 81 below y`and meshing with'ons which is another gear wheel 82 on a shaft 8.3, one end bearingofwhich shaft is in a bracket 84 passing through the gear, the disk valve,and a lug 85 projecting axially from the slotted ring69, and into whichseveral parts the bracket 84 is screw-threaded.

The and of the shaft 83 is, see Fig. 3, reduced adjacent its bearing inthe brackets 84 --to prevent end thrust, the shaft being provided withanother bearing formed, see

Figs. 3 and 9, by a lug 86 secured to and projecting from the chute 76.The di. k is revolved by means of a .sprocket Wheel 87 adjustablysecured by "a setrscrew, 87 on `the outer en d of the shaft 83 by meansof a sprocket chain 88, see Figs. 2 and 3, passing over another sprocketwheell 89 on the shaft 65, and whereby the vlve and the plungers arebothoperated from a single and the same shaft, due regard being had asto their relative size and number of teeth for timing the movements ,ofthe valve and the plunger.

yIn other words the movement of thek plungers and valve is so timedVthat there shall be confined in theiririndividual chutes resting uponthe disk valve, a plurality of potato quarters, and @preferably three,throughout the successive `discharge of the other quartersthereon,"through the slot of the valve into the spout'in order thatanyquarter hanging by its skin` from the cutters ma have sufficient timeto" release itself and fal by lgravity to the valve when or before thevalve is in register therewith, and as it is found` to do in practice.

Supported from the frame of the machine by means of a iiexible post 90for the drivers seat 91, and likewise from the rear end of the frame, isa ieXible curved post 92 supporting a seat 93 seating an attendant inposition for delivering the `potatoes from the receptacle 46 and 47alternately to the two ho pers when their respective plungers are suciently elevated for that purpose, the frame being also provided withatongue 94 to which is secured a depending .U-

`shaped bracket 95 from which is suspended one end of a beam 96 by meansof a pivot bolt 97.

The beam 96 is also suspended toward its opposite and rear end by meansof links 98- 98 pivoted to the bars 13-13 of the frame, by

means of bolts 99, which conver e downwardly in'a forward direction, an`are pivoted at their lower ends to a slotted lug 100 ,by means of abolt 101 passing therethrough and through the ends of opposing links,which bolt 101 has pivoted thereon one end of a forwardly projectinglink 102, suspended by a pivot 103 from the bent end 104` of a lever105, fulcrumed on a'bolt 106 passing through a triangular plate107fsecured to a bracket 108 for the tongue 94" by means of lugs 109 andscrew-bolts 110. y

The triangular plate 107 is provided with a segmental rack 111 adaptedto be en gaged by a detent 112 slidable in lugs 113-113 and normallyprojected by a coil spring 112i, the detent being actuated by means ofa\rod 115 attached thereto at one end"l and at itsopposit'e end to ahand grasp 116 'secured toward the outer end of' the lever by means'of aivot 117.l h

It is at the end o the beam 96 that the funnel 77 is supported and fromwhich-is suspended a plow 118, of the usual construction, for forming@Ifurrow in advance of the dropping of the potato yquarters from.

- of the drive Alfforlowering and raisingtlie `beam to adjust the'p'lowforincreasing and c diminishing the depth of the furrow desired, andalso for raising'the plow above' its operative position, free and clearof the ground when transporting theLplanter.

In the operation -of the machined,uringav its forward movement there isbut onehp'ota to at atime in each hopper,=supplied by"-y theattendantefrom the potato 'receptacles .adjacent the hoppers, and whichhe intro' duces when thereis suihcient space between a hopper andplunger forintroducing potatoes therein', and to his hands when a punger is at the limit of its up-stroke.

When the Amovement of the valve and of l the plungers is timed, asshould be, in the las `for and' insur d.

structure herein shown and described, there are always three cutquarters of potatoes in a position of -rest on the valve-with the resultthat` if any yof the potatopquarters have been temporarily hung\by`.their skins from its cutters, there is suiiicient'time forit torelease itself and descend by glravity to `afpositionof rest on thevalvebefore the slot in the valve can move to register therewith, and wherebythe possibility of the corresponding cut quarter of the neXt potatofalling thereon prevented, and the spac ing vof every planted `quarter''is 'provided In other words when any severed quarter clings to itscutter after the other quarters of the same potato have passed throughthe chute to a position of rest, the time required for the dischargefrom theV valve of the three quarter pieces of the precedingpotato is ofj suflicient length for the'clinging quarter to release itself and passto a position of rest v onthe valve before it carfrpossibl-y reach thedischarge opening of the valve.

Inasmuch as the valve rotatably driven and theplungers reeiprocated fromone and the same drive shaft, it is apparent that when their .respectivegears on the power shaft 14, and onthe drive shaft are once properlytimed, there will ever beat least three potatoqua'rters at` rest on thevalve when the machine is moving forward either fast lor slow,andbecause `of this positive connectionv'to a single drive shaft of thereciprocating plungers and the rotating valve when there is employed anindividual chute for every quarter of two .fpotatoes, the out-y let forwhich vis controlled by a 'valve successively registering therewith.

t5 equal In'short, my invention provides -for a potato planting machinein which potatoes with eyes are alternately cut/into quarters e andprovided with means by which, for the first time, it is practical andYpossible to prevent Iplanting two quarterstogether, and insuredistances apart.

.nation a plurality of fixed hoppers, a cutter y.for each hopper adaptedfor severing in v"quarterspotatoes supplied thereto,- a separeferablyfor Safety*k every quarter being planted singly at v Y Y `tween saidshaft and the valve.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent 1s: Y

1. A- potato planter comprising in combirate/chute for the severedquarters of both- .,cutters, and a rotating 'valve adapted for tatoespast said cutters, a se arate chute for the severed quarters of botcutters, and a discharge spout for'and :common to all of 4. Apotatoplanter com lrising in combination a plurality of fixehoppers,jmeans -for severing iny quarters potatoesrespectively suppliedto said hoppers, an individual 'chute for each. severed potatoquarter,ja discharge spout for and common to all of said chutes,

a movablev support between .said chutesand v yspout provided with asingle opening through which the potato quarters, iny said chutesaresuccessively discharged into said spout.

5. A potato planter com risingiin combination a plurality of lixehoppers, a Vcutter for each hopper, means for pushing potatoesalternately past said cutters, a separate chute for every severed pieceof potato, a discharge spout for andcommon to all'of said chutes, and arotating disk valve located between said chutes and spout for andadapted to successively discharge a piece of potato from each chute intothe spout.

'6. A potato lauter comprising in combination a plura ity of fixedvhoppers, cutters for each hopper, a valve, adapted to simultaneouslysupport the cut vpieces of a plurality of potatoes delivered thereonfrom the cutters, and means for rotatingsaid, valve whereby all ofv saidcut potato pieces are c successively discharged from said valve.

7 A potato .planter comprising in combif nation -a plurality of hoppers,acutter device land a plunger for each hopper, ja valve adaptedh forsimultaneously pieces of potatoes from saidl cutter and capable ofmovement to discharge said pieces successively, a drive shaft foractuating the plungers, andya positive gear be-y supporting 8. A potatoplanter comprising in combination a pai-r of fixed hoppers,intersectingv blades for each hopper, a number of chutes foreach cutterindividually receiving the cut pieces of potato therefrom, a rotatingdisk valve adapted to receive and'simultaneonsly support cut pieces ofpotato from both sets of cutters, provided with a slot successivelydischarging said pieces therethrough, a crank shaft, a link and rockerarm connec tion between and for reciprocating said plungers, and a gearmechanism positively connecting said shaft With and rotating said valve.

9. A potato planter comprising in co1nbination two plnngers, areciprocating shaft for each plunger, a drive shaft therefor providedwith cranks, a. connecting means be'#v tween said crank arms andplungersy for alternately reciprocating the latter, a hopper for andopposed to each of said plungers, a cutting mechanism opposed to eachhopper,

set of chutes or and individually receiving the cut pieces Jfrom eachcutter, a rotatoixFebruary, A. D. 1915,

JOSEPH r, DAVENPORT. [a 3.]

Vitnesses MILDRED ELsNn1z, JNO. G.' ELLio'i-r.

